GIS-4636-091

Kaitlyn Gonzalez  Weekly Journal 6 GIS-4636-091 October 14, 2020     I think that this a difficult question to aks when it comes to a sense of community. I have talked about this before in previous journal articles that the sense of community is lost because many things have turned virtual now. Most times, people are now doing classes in the comfort of their own home and maybe by themselves virtually. In the past though, the sense of community with a yoga studio and its members is so important to building a bond with the people you take a class with. When you go to a yoga class consistently, you begin a sort of bond with the people you see every week. You may not talk to them, or even know their names, but in a way, you are all connected somehow. You feel a sense of community within the yoga studio when you continuously go to classes. I've had teachers in the past who go around the room and have everyone say their names and something good that happened that week, all whil...

Kaitlyn Gonzalez  Weekly Journal 5 GIS-4636-091 October 6, 2020 Based on this week's Nevrin article, I think that yoga can be viewed/analyzed as a ritual because of the focus that you are putting into your practice. When you are practicing, for a beginner you might focus on "breathing, postures, and where to fix one's gaze" (Nervin 2020). This enables the person to be more focused and attentive to the practice, and therefore connecting with oneself. Moreover, Nevrin talks about feeling the body move as you go through these poses. This is something I had never really thought about. Simply focusing on the way your body feels, checking in with yourself, and feeling the slow-paced movement of your body and the way it stretches. Taking that with me into my practice this week, it helped me feel more in tune with my body and truly put my focus in one place. This technique of focusing on my body movement also helped if there were other distractions going on around me. For exa...

    Kaitlyn Gonzalez  Weekly Journal 4 GIS-4636-091 October 6, 2020 When it came to Bikram yoga, I think that it has changed my perspective on the question if yoga is more framed as an exercise. For Bikram yoga, it seemed to move a little fast and was hard to keep up with catching up with the poses. What made Bikram yoga different from other yoga classes I have taken in the past is the fact that the teacher didn't show what she was doing throughout. She spoke to us directly and named out the poses, and then we were to follow the poses that she called out. For someone who is new to practicing yoga, this can be difficult if you don't know some of the names of the poses.       Nevertheless, I was able to look at other people practicing on Zoom and was able to follow some of the poses that I didn't know. We did a lot of back and neck stretches, which was really helpful considering most of us are sitting at a computer every day. On the flip side though, Dia...

  Kaitlyn Gonzalez  Weekly Journal 3 GIS-4636-091 September 28, 2020     I think that when you ask the question if yoga is seen as more of an exercise, it is important to note the culture behind yoga. Especially after watching the films Enlighten Up and Naked in Ashes, my perception of yoga and the definition of yoga has changed for me. I believe that in our culture in America yoga is seen more as an exercise. For example, yoga brings people together and they go to a class together, as if it were a workout class. There is even a line of clothing that is being sold as athleisure known as "yoga pants" or "yoga clothes". This type of clothing that is sold and the culture surrounding yoga in America further pushes the narrative that yoga is an exercise activity, rather than a spiritual practice. On the other hand, I believe that in other countries and other places, yoga may be viewed very differently and not seen as an exercise activity, and something that you just do o...

Kaitlyn Gonzalez  Weekly Journal 2 GIS-4636-091 September 24, 2020      There are a number of things that make your space a 'scared' space in my opinion. When I was able to practice in person with a class, there are certain things that I would look for. For me, in order for me to practice yoga, I need to be a place that is quiet, maybe with some light music, but something calming. This helps me really focus and be in tune with my body and what yoga is doing for me. When I am able to practice in a calm and quiet space, I am able to relax and the poses bring me more peace. Another thing that I like for a sacred place when practicing yoga is scents. I've been in yoga classes that might have candles or light incense burning, and I think that the light scent adds such a sense of comfort, along with the music.       When practicing at home though, this tends to be a different story. We can set up a sacred place for ourselves in our home, but most likely...

 Assignment One  Kaitlyn Gonzalez  GIS-4636-091 September 14, 2020        For my first experience doing yoga especially online and in this new environment, was something that I need more practice in order to get used to. A lot of things have changed not only in the world but also in my personal life that has impacted the way that I practice yoga. I have now had to do chair yoga, which is something that is new to me since I have an immobilized ankle.     In the past, I have practiced yoga and enjoyed the environment of practicing with other people and having that class environment. I was regularly going to classes before the pandemic, and as you go to more classes with the same people there is a certain bond that you have.  As a result of the pandemic, this sense of class and togetherness that comes with practicing in person is lost. This is one of the main things that I had missed when I had started taking my first online class....